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Passenger Choice Awards Give Voice to Travelers Around the World

Friday, January 6, 2012

(NEW YORK) — Whether you fly weekly for business or occasionally for pleasure, chances are you have stepped off a plane with a story to share about your experience. Now, instead of telling your friends, you can tell the airlines by taking the Passenger Choice Awards survey at www.passengerchoiceawards.com, and in the process help drive innovation in air travel.

In its third year, the Passenger Choice Awards were launched by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) to provide airline passengers the opportunity to give direct feedback on every aspect of the flying experience: in-flight publications, connectivity and communications, food and beverage, informational videos and entertainment, cabin ambiance, and pre-departure experience.

“Our industry is committed to continuous improvement to the passenger experience, and passenger feedback is critical to that commitment,” said Russell Lemieux, Executive Director of APEX. “We’re relying on passengers to rate their experience and help identify the best innovations in air travel today.”

APEX introduced a new survey format this year that allows voters to provide specific feedback in just one or two areas--such as food or movies--or in all six areas, which completes the entire survey. The survey can be accessed 24/7 all year round, so every flight experience can be tabulated, Lemieux said.

Lemieux also noted that the Passenger Choice Awards are entirely independent of any commercial influence. All responses are independently tabulated by the Nielsen Company, a global leader in consumer information and measurement.

Winners are announced at a gala at the APEX EXPO, held annually in the fall. This year’s APEX EXPO will be held in Long Beach, CA, USA, 17-20 September. Among last year’s winners were

Emirates, which won Best Overall Passenger Experience for airlines with more than 50 in-flight entertainment equipped aircraft, and Virgin America, which was named Best Overall for airlines with a smaller fleet of less than 50 in-flight entertainment equipped aircraft. There were winners in more than a dozen additional categories.

Linda Palmer, Senior VP, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Non-Theatrical and APEX Awards Committee chairperson, notes, “The Passenger Choice Awards are designed not only to recognize and to reward the airlines for their continued service and innovation but to also give a voice to airline passengers. The awards program celebrates excellence in the airline passenger experience industry as judged by the people who matter most, the passengers. The Passenger Choice Awards have quickly become a significant benchmark for airlines in their continual quest to deliver a quality experience to the traveling public.”

The Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) encompasses a network of airlines, air travel-related businesses and professionals that are committed to providing a world-class airline experience for passengers around the globe. Every day, APEX members are improving every aspect of the airline experience: from designing, building and installing seating, entertainment and communications systems on commercial aircraft, to airport lounges and inflight dining.